Preliminary Clifton school budget shows $80 tax hike

CLIFTON — Preliminary budget numbers are in for the 2014-2015 school year and the Board of Education will implement the state maximum allowed 2 percent increase in taxes.

The average Clifton home, assessed around $170,000, will see a school tax increase of $80 from last year if the 2 percent increase is adopted when the budget is finalized in April, according to a report presented by business Administrator Karen Perkins.

As of now the school board expects to spend $152,237,501 next year, with almost $123 million coming from the tax base. State aid fills the gap, and Perkins said she expects that number to remain the same as last year's $26,033,579, for now.

"This is all based on assumption," Perkins said, adding "state aid could increase."

More than $55,868,028 is needed for regular education, according to the figures. Benefits packages for teachers and administration is the second biggest expenditure and will cost just under $29 million.

The preliminary budget is unbalanced with current revenues falling $2 million short of the total operational cost. Perkins and the school board must either cut expenditures or raise revenues before formally adopting the budget in April.

Commissioner James Daley, who sits on the finance committee, said he thinks the district deserves more state aid for special education.

"Some students we spend over $100,000 on out-of-district tuition, therapy and aids. We don't get enough back to cover that," Daley said. "We have a lot of special needs students, and in my opinion the state should fund a higher percentage than it does."

For the 2014-2015 school year, $20,500,000 is budgeted for special education. Daley said the state covers 20 percent of that.

Last year preliminary budget numbers called for a 2 percent tax increase, but the number was lowered to a 1.75 percent increase on the final approved budget.

This would mark the fifth straight year the school board holds tax increases at 2 percent or lower, a number that has been state mandated. Daley said he is proud the district has not cut any educational or afterschool programs for students over that time.

The preliminary budget is due to the county by March 20. Perkins said the final budget is typically adopted the night of the required public meeting, sched-uled for April 30.

Daley said that while he is anxious to hear from the public, he "can't remember anybody making a suggestion at the public meeting."